


Let Me In

by n_nami



Series: Golden Rule 'verse [5]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Firefighter Kagami, Kagami and Kuroko are roommates, M/M, Policeman Aomine, lots of pining, this is just the beginning, this will be aokagakuro in the end i promise, university student Kuroko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 21:29:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3993496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n_nami/pseuds/n_nami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Aomine's and Kagami's undefined relationship going on, Kuroko starts to get increasingly irritated, especially when they try to meddle with his nonexistent love life. Kagami does his best to calm the waves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Me In

**Author's Note:**

> Guys, I'm so sorry that this took like forever to post, but this story is still just a side project of mine. I promise I'll finish it, but I can't promise just how long it'll take. I also promise that this will end with an AoKagaKuro sex scene - since that's the whole point.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for staying with me and enjoy! :)

“I'm home,” Kuroko announces from the door, the sound of shoes dropping to the floor accompanying the greeting.

“Welcome back,” Taiga answers and smiles into the pot of miso soup he just put on the stove.

Kuroko comes around the corner from the genkan looking absolutely exhausted. His light blue hair is standing in all directions, like he ran his hand through it one too many times, and his expression is even more impassive than usual.

Taiga frowns at him. “Everything alright?”

Kuroko nods. “Yes. However, I had a stressful day.”

“Sit,” Taiga points at the breakfast bar of the kitchen. “Food will be ready soon.”

“What are you cooking?”

“Miso soup. We really need to do some grocery shopping.”

A tiny smile makes the edges of Kuroko's lips twitch. “I don't mind miso soup. Yours is delicious.”

“Still,” Taiga stares at the cutting board in his hands, hiding his slight embarrassment. “We could go after dinner. If you don't mind.”

“Not at all,” Kuroko sighs.

Taiga looks up at him and finds him staring into space. It's pretty obvious, now that Taiga thinks about it, how often Kuroko hasn't been home during the past weeks. Taiga knows, because they have been roommates ever since Kuroko started going to university and Taiga started his training at the fire department.

It makes some things easier and some things harder, but overall, Taiga couldn't wish for a better roommate.

It makes things like living expenses, household chores and spare time a lot easier, since Kuroko is reliable and willing to contribute, and he doesn't object to the occasional round of spontaneous basketball – whether on the streetball court or on Taiga's Xbox.

But his being here also has provided Taiga with problems he never expected. Like having to keep his voice down when Aomine and he end up in bed together, which seems to be way too easy for Aomine to do. The fucker just bites his lips and smirks that smirk of his that Taiga both likes and hates, and breathes out slowly in-between strokes and kisses and caresses that would drive any mortal man to insanity.

It also happened to make Taiga hyper-aware of the adorable state of Kuroko's hair in the morning. Or how he squints at the sunlight before he had his first cup of tea. Generally the fact that in comparison to himself, Kuroko is tiny and adorable and a mastermind.

Which is why Taiga expects something bad to happen from Kuroko's latest habit to vanish from his life.

“It's nice, you know,” he says, trying to sound nonchalantly, “having you around for a change.”

Kuroko perks up at that, fixes Taiga with an almost scary look. “Well, I do have tutoring and my study group, so I'm--”

“I meant no offense,” Taiga throws in quickly, gesturing with his hand for Kuroko to calm down. Kuroko doesn't need to raise his voice or glare and frown for Taiga to feel like he's being yelled at. “It's just... you're out a lot, and I actually like spending some time with my best friend then and again. All I'm saying is that I like having your company.”

Kuroko breathes out slowly and nods. “I understand. I do, too, for the record.”

With a smile, Taiga returns to his cooking.

Behind his back, Kuroko sighs. “But you also spend a lot of time with Aomine-kun, and I don't want to intrude. I'm not saying this to make you feel bad, I just want to make it clear that I have no problem with giving you space.”

That, on the other hand, makes heat rise in Taiga's cheeks that has nothing to do with the steaming pot on the oven.

“We're not together or anything. And you're his best friend, too. He actually asks for you every time you're not around, and not for the... let's say obvious reasons.”

“Ah,” Kuroko says, sounding pleased. “But still. You're in a relationship. I'm just the best friend. I've got no--”

“Kuroko, Aomine and I aren't boyfriends or anything,” Taiga interrupts Kuroko to protest. “We're just having fun, but there are no strings attached to our arrangement.”

“So you'd have no problem with Aomine-kun going out and having sex with someone else?” Kuroko dares him, a challenge for Taiga to accept.

A 'No, of course not!' is already on the tip of Taiga's tongue, a gut reflex, but then he closes his mouth again and thinks it over. It's not like his sex drive isn't fulfilled with Aomine alone; he doesn't need someone else, wouldn't want anybody else. It would mean he'd have to tell him about all the things he liked that Aomine found out a long time ago on his own. And Taiga has to admit, sex with Aomine is fun. The guy just knows what he's doing.

Taiga doubts that Aomine feels any different, but he makes a mental note to ask him later anyway.

“We never talked about it,” he states towards Kuroko. “There's no rule for that. So yes, he could go and sleep with someone else, but I don't think he would do it.”

“So you trust him?”

“That's not it-- Well, yeah, to a certain degree I do--”

“And you wouldn't be jealous if he came home boasting about a one night stand with another guy or girl?” Kuroko adds immediately, sadist that he is.

“Well... I mean, I'd probably ask him why that's necessary if he's got me, you know.”

“Which would be pretty obvious if he would sleep with a girl.”

Taiga shrugs. “He told me that he doesn't mind the fact that I lack boobs. With guys, he's more focused on the lower parts, if you know what I mean.”

Kuroko doesn't even raise an eyebrow at that, but Taiga sees amusement and a tiny bit of awkwardness dancing in his eyes. “Too much information, Kagami-kun.”

“You started it,” Taiga grins back.

***  
  
“So Tetsu thinks we're together?” Aomine chuckles, lying on his back and still naked on top of the mattress, the sheets pushed down to their feet. He looks gorgeous, sweat gleaming on his dark skin, basking in the afterglow with his arms folded under his head.

“I told him he's wrong, and he asked me if I was fine with you sleeping with someone else,” Taiga finishes his story.

“And, would you be?” Aomine lets his head loll sideways, watching Taiga with interest.

“I don't know,” Taiga bites his lip, then answers honestly, “Guess I'd ask you what you needed them for if you've got me.”

“So you do see us as kind-of exclusive.”

“Kind of,” Taiga shrugs, tries to play it cool. “I mean, I sure as hell ain't complaining and I'm satisfied with what we do. I don't need any more or anything different, so I wouldn't put up with the effort to look for it.”

Aomine watches him closely as he asks, “But don't you wonder sometimes, what it's like with other people? Don't you see a hot guy on the street sometimes and think about fucking him?”

“Sure, but doesn't mean I'd follow through with it. Do you?”

“Of course, all the time,” Aomine admits like it's no big deal. Which it isn't, Taiga knows. “Not following through with it, either, though.”

“But would you choose someone else if you'd have got the chance to?”

“Depends,” Aomine yawns, arching his back.

“On?”

“Who it is, for one. Generally speaking, I'm not interested in anyone else at the moment. But certain people, they're the exception, but they're also kind of off the chart.”

Taiga watches in fascination how Aomine delivers the line without a twitch of his eyebrow, but a fire burns in his dark eyes that makes Taiga's spine tingle when their eyes lock. “Who would be an exception, then?”

“Tetsu,” Aomine answers a bit too soon.

That makes Taiga raise an eyebrow at him. “Because you've been together once? Do you still have feelings for him?”

Aomine rolls onto his side, facing Taiga. “Pff, feelings. Of course I have a soft spot for him.”

“And you assume he wouldn't be interested because...?” Taiga asks.

“Because I'm just an old, warmed-up meal. He had me once, and he pushed me away back then.”

“Or try the other way around,” Taiga snorts.

“There's always two parts to a story, and I won't pretend that I don't know how this was my fault, too,” Aomine lets his head drop into the palm of his hand. “But it's the past. You don't want to relive the past.”

“Ah,” Taiga says, avoiding Aomine's inquiring eyes. He feels like he's on a rollercoaster, ever since Aomine mentioned Kuroko. Because Taiga can admit to himself that, yes, Kuroko would be the exception for him, too.

But he wonders if this is a two-way street.

“Wait a second,” he says. “If Kuroko is the exception, would that mean... he'd be the exception for me, too? Like, you wouldn't be mad if I...”

Aomine quirks an eyebrow. “Would you even want to?”

Taiga mumbles, “I never thought about it.” And it's not even a lie, because Kuroko is his best friend. Still, thinking about him naked, as Taiga has seen him countless times – his lithe body, so small in comparison to his own, he could probably fold up in Taiga's arms and that thought is really enticing.

“Think about it, it's not like I can tell you not to,” Aomine sighs, then grins at Taiga. “And you know, Tetsu is a pretty good kisser. Guess who's responsible for that?”

Taiga chuckles. “I guess you had to do something if you didn't even get to second base.”

“Ha-ha,” Aomine rolls his eyes. “Very funny. Shut up.”

“Make me,” Taiga smirks, and of course Aomine rolls right on top of him to start round two.

His body is heavy and muscular, strong arms pressing Taiga into the mattress, rippling abs under the tan skin of his stomach flexing as he pushes down, cages Taiga between his thighs. When Aomine stretches out, he can cover Taiga from head to toe, or keep him down, and that thought always sets Taiga's libido right off.

He wonders what it'd be like, with someone shorter and lighter than himself, someone he could hold up with one arm, someone different.

But then Aomine slides down to take Taiga's dick into his mouth and Taiga forgets about the rest of the world for the next half hour.

***  
  
Of course, that conversation set something off.

Taiga finds himself staring at Kuroko. He watches when they're at Maji Burger, when Kuroko's tongue licks a spare drop of vanilla shake off the corner of his lips. He can't even focus on his burger, because of course his mind had to go down the dirty road no matter what Kuroko does.

Even when Kuroko does mundane stuff, like using the blow dryer in the bathroom, the muscles in his shoulders and arms working, Taiga can't think of anything but sex.

The scary part is that this isn't even the worst he has to deal with.

Taiga can handle the dirty thoughts; he's used to them when it comes to Aomine, after all. With Aomine, it's all about sex. Aomine flexing his arms and stretching his back can be enough for Taiga to get horny. Aomine is all sultry winks and innuendo, daring touches and heated looks. Aomine is the one who Taiga can't keep his hands off if they're lying in the same bed.

Kuroko, however, is on a completely different level.

Kuroko is cute and tiny and sometimes Taiga just wants to wrap him up in his arms and cuddle him. Sometimes he's snarky and evil and Taiga does grab him around the neck, then, to ruffle his hair with his spare hand. Sometimes he makes a joke so deadpan that Taiga can't stop laughing for ten minutes.

And then there's the fact that Kuroko can read him to an almost scary degree, knows him too well for his own good, and sometimes Taiga thinks he can see that look of understanding in his eyes.

Taiga likes him a lot, as a friend.

But once the thought is there, nagging at the back of his mind, he can't shake it anymore.

_You'd make a great couple._

_You compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses perfectly._

_You already live together and you work perfectly._

There isn't a huge difference between roommates and boyfriends. Just add the sex.

After three long weeks of staring, appreciating and denying, Taiga eventually gives in and admits it to himself – he has a crush on Kuroko.

Kuroko makes him happy, gives his soul peace.

Aomine makes him happy, too, in a different and mostly physical way.

Usually, people find one person who manages both of these. Only Taiga would end up in a pinch like this.

***  
  
“I'm going to go out tonight,” Kuroko announces when he returns home one Friday afternoon about four weeks later.

“Ah,” Taiga confirms. “What're you up to?”

“Someone from my educations course asked me to join him for dinner.”

That makes Taiga turn around from where he was busy cleaning shiitake mushrooms in the sink. “You got a date?”

“Well, he was... persistent, and I gave in,” Kuroko shrugs. “I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. Now you've cooked for two.”

“Don't worry, I'll be able to finish that on my own,” Taiga forces himself to grin, no matter how off he feels. This just doesn't feel right. “Sure you're gonna be okay?”

“Of course,” Kuroko answers, stoic as ever. “I'm going to change before I leave.”

Taiga stares after him and wonders where the hell he went wrong. Kuroko is going on a date with some guy and he stands by and stares. Thinking too much is making his head hurt, though, so Taiga focuses on the task in front of him and just cooks.

But when Kuroko re-appears, he wears black slacks and a light blue button-down and it all doesn't look much different than his usual school uniform had looked, back in high school, but Taiga swallows. “Looking good,” he flashes Kuroko a thumbs-up and a smirk, but his heart is beating too fast and he's about to blurt out something embarrassing. So he just waves and says, “Have fun.”

“Thank you,” Kuroko says with a tilt of his head.

Then he's gone and Taiga sits in the silence of their apartment, staring into his bowl of rice, suddenly having lost his appetite.

He puts his chopsticks down and fetches his cell phone from where it's plugged into a power socket in the living room. After opening his contacts list, he doesn't have to scroll too far. Without hesitation, Taiga taps the green speaker icon to call.

“Hello?” the only voice that won't drive him straight into insanity right now – and isn't that a strange thought – answers.

“Kuroko went on a date,” Taiga states without preamble.

“Tetsu did _what_?” He's as close to screeching as Aomine will ever get.

“Yeah, with one of the guys from university,” Taiga snorts. “Because he couldn't say No.”

“Of course,” Aomine mumbles, then suddenly raises his voice. “And you didn't stop him?”

“How could I?”

“Idiot.”

“Shut up. Asshat.”

They both stay silent for a couple seconds, Taiga frowning into his steaming food and imagining Aomine's glare.

“Is he going to be fine?”

“Yes. At least he said so.”

Aomine sighs. “I guess we have to trust him not to do anything stupid.”

“Still, I feel like shit,” Taiga mumbles.

For once, Aomine doesn't throw an insult straight back, just hums in agreement. “So, what's the plan?”

Taiga shrugs, then realizes Aomine can't see it. “Yeah, I got nothin'.”

“Me neither,” Aomine grunts with frustration. “Want me to come over, take your mind off things?”

Taiga almost wonders if it might snow in summer, for Aomine to be so thoughtful. “I could use some help with all the food I cooked.”

“At least you know just how to sweet-talk me, darling,” Aomine teases. “See ya.”

With that, he hangs up.

Taiga sighs and puts his phone down on the table, then returns the ramen he cooked into the pot so he can keep it warm until Aomine arrives.

***  
  
“What's taking him so long?” Aomine snarls, spinning the cup of tea in his hands. “For Christ's sake, this is ridiculous.”

Taiga sighs and drops against the backrest of his sofa without answering him.

Aomine harrumphs and copies him, so they're shoulder to shoulder on the couch, resting their cups on their bellies, staring straight ahead.

“What if he's going home with that guy?”

“You mean, what if he sleeps with him?” Taiga asks, just to make sure.

“D'uh,” Aomine rolls his eyes. “What else, dumbass.”

“Well, then we couldn't stop him.”

“But doesn't it bother you?”

It's Taiga's turn to roll his eyes. “What part of me calling you and sitting around waiting for him gave away that this  so-called _date_ doesn't bother me?”

“If you put it like that,” Aomine grumbles and scratches the back of his neck.

“ _Why_ does it bother us that much, though?” Taiga muses aloud. As for himself, he knows, but he doesn't dare say it, so he waits for Aomine's reaction.

“Because it's _Tetsu_ ,” says Aomine, as if it would explain everything – and surprisingly enough, it does.

“True.” Taiga sighs.

They sit in silence for countless minutes before they can hear two pairs of feet making their way upstairs, the sound of a key being taken out of a bag accompanying it.

Aomine wordlessly gets to his feet, puts his cup down, and heads towards the genkan. There, he slips into his shoes and his light jacket, then opens the door to a baffled looking Kuroko and an average looking guy.

“Oh, you're back. Sorry, I didn't hear you, Tetsu.”

Taiga smiles to himself. One, blatant lie. Two, staking claims by using nicknames. Aomine one, Kuroko's mystery date zero.

As for himself, Taiga makes sure to shout “Welcome home,” towards the genkan so he'd be noticed, too. He subtly checks out the guy Kuroko brought home and gets to his feet to seem a bit more intimidating, but when he sneaks a peek at Aomine, Taiga figures he doesn't need to. Aomine is glaring the poor guy into the ground.

Aomine two, Kuroko's mystery date one.

“This is Nakamura-kun,” Kuroko says politely. “Nakamura-kun, this is Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun, my friends.”

“Nice to meet you,” Nakamura nods and bows to them.

“Likewise,” Aomine returns, flat and icy and definitely hostile.

Kuroko sends him a quick frown, but then turns around to Nakamura again. “Thank you for accompanying me home. Have a good night.”

“You, too, Kuroko-kun. I'll see you in class,” Nakamura answers, careful not to intrude Kuroko's personal space and looking like he'd rather do it, but doesn't dare to.

Taiga watches the scene unfold in fascination. He also feels weirdly proud of Aomine.

“Good night,” Nakamura says, then bows to Aomine and Kuroko, too. “You, too.”

“Bye,” Aomine grunts out.

Taiga just nods without bothering to smooth the frown from his face.

Kuroko steps past Aomine in the genkan to toe off his shoes and hang up his jacket. Footsteps down the stairs signal that Nakamura is in fact going home.

Taiga breathes freely for the first time in the past four hours.

“Were you about to leave, Aomine-kun?” Kuroko asks with a pointed look at Aomine's clothes.

Aomine closes the open door to the apartment. “Not really.”

Kuroko's left eyelid twitches as he answers, an edge to his voice, “Then what was that right now?”

“I just wanted to make sure you--”

“You were _jealous_ ,” Kuroko interrupts him, clearly annoyed. “In case you haven't noticed, we broke up years ago. And you've got a boyfriend.”

“And that's where you're wrong, Tetsu,” Aomine looks smug as he sheds his jacket and shoes. “We're not together,” he adds as he tilts his head at Taiga.

Taiga doesn't know if he should feel offended at Aomine's bluntness, since it is the truth, but it doesn't sit completely right with him.

“But you were jealous,” Kuroko's otherwise calm eyes blaze fire and annoyance at both of them. To any bystander, he'd look as impassive as ever, but Taiga knows him well enough to notice the signs.

Aomine opens his mouth to deliver some kind of explanation, but Taiga doesn't want the Royal Misunderstanding That Could Ruin Their Friendship to start right then, so he says, “Yes, he was. I was, too.”

That makes Kuroko turn fully towards him, and Taiga almost shudders from the intensity in his eyes.

They all stand there, still in the genkan, Aomine and Kuroko now looking at Taiga, who leans against the wall with his left shoulder, arms crossed in front of his chest. Nobody seems to know how to react, but nobody denies it, either.

After a few awkward moments, Taiga turns around with a sigh. “C'mon in, I'll make tea. And Kuroko?” With a look over his shoulder, Taiga makes sure that Kuroko is focusing on him and smiles brightly. “Welcome home.”

Kuroko looks at the floor, but Taiga can clearly see the rosy color on his cheeks. “I'm home,” he says, sounding odd.

Aomine just trudges behind him, biting his lip, staring into space.

So Taiga makes tea, then carries the tray to the living room to set it down on the table. The three of them sit down on either side, looking uncomfortable.

“So, uh. How was your date?” Taiga asks eventually, without daring to even look at Kuroko.

Kuroko shrugs. “Nothing special. He was nice, but I won't go out with him again.”

Aomine breathes an audible sigh of relief, and Taiga looks at him sharply.

“Okay,” Aomine nods. “That's... actually... I'm glad. I'm sorry, Tetsu, but you shouldn't just end up with anyone.”

“What do you mean, Aomine-kun?” he asks, seeming increasingly distressed.

Aomine blushes and looks aside.

“He means you should be with someone who knows you and your story and who appreciates who you are and why you are the way you are,” Taiga explains, and Aomine nods in agreement.

“You two...” Kuroko starts, but leaves the sentence unfinished.

“We only care about you,” Aomine tries to reason, but Kuroko rebuffs him immediately.

“You dare to meddle with my relationships,” he glares at both of them, and Taiga flinches. “And that actually angers me the most. I would have explained to Nakamura-kun that I don't want to pursue a second date, but you had to barge in and take that chance from me.”

Aomine avoids Kuroko's eyes and grumbles, “I'm sorry, Tetsu.”

“Moreover, you didn't care about my feelings. What if I had actually liked him?”

Aomine scratches the back of his neck.

“And Kagami-kun, you did nothing to stop him. Instead, you defend his behavior.”

“Kuroko--”

Kuroko shakes his head and stands up. “I will go to bed. You should maybe figure out where your priorities lie. Good night.”

With that, he leaves them in the living room, steaming cups of tea standing in front of them, looking abashed and confused. Eventually, they wordlessly head to bed, too, lying back to back on Taiga's mattress, neither of them able to fall asleep.

***  
  
After three days, Taiga can't take it any more.

At first, it was mostly awkward silence and glares, but now it's just ridiculous. They should be adults now, and adults handle things, but Taiga feels utterly lost.

“Really, Kuroko? You're giving me the silent treatment?” he snaps from where he's standing at the stove, cooking.

Kuroko gives him a _look_ , then turns around and leaves.

Taiga lets his head drop back and groans, then pulls out his phone from his pocket.

_To: Ahomine  
Kuroko won't talk to me. Do something._

Aomine doesn't answer until an hour later, when Taiga is already sitting at the dinner table with Kuroko.

_What should I do? Just say sorry, Tetsu'll forgive you anyway._

Taiga rolls his eyes and texts back.

_I already said sorry like ten times already. He just keeps dismissing me. Also are you coming over tonight_

Aomine's answer is immediate this time.

_Planned to. Alright, talk 2 u later_

“So, what do you want to do tonight?”

“Reading,” Kuroko says, flat and toneless, and vanishes into his room.

In the silence of the kitchen, Taiga takes care of the dishes, does clean-up, and as mundane as the task is, it gives him time to think.

And the thoughts that spin through his head, of not talking to his best friend for another couple days, of ruining this friendship over jealousy and misunderstandings, makes his heart ache. If Taiga was just three years younger than he is today, he'd burst into Kuroko's room, guns figuratively blazing, and just blurt out these very thoughts.

Now, with him recently having turned 19, Taiga is a bit more thoughtful.

So he finishes his work, then gets out the blender and mixes a vanilla shake for Kuroko, despite the fact that he knows Kuroko is not Aomine and not as easily bribed with food. It's worth a shot. Anything is worth a shot at this point.

Taiga knocks at Kuroko's door five minutes lter and waits for Kuroko to let him in.

When the door slides open, Kuroko looks up at him in surprise, eyes catching on the tall glass in his hand for only a second.

“Kuroko, please, can we talk?” Taiga begs, holding the vanilla shake out as a peace offering.

Kuroko takes the glass and nods, then turns to sit down on his bed.

Now that his hands are empty, Taiga finds himself fidgeting, but eventually he sits down at a respectable distance beside Kuroko, who stays quiet.

Kuroko isn't making this easy for him, but then again, Taiga gets it.

“Look, I am sorry about what happened on Friday,” Taiga states with emphasis, “And I hope you can forgive us, but--”

“Why are you talking for him again, too?” Kuroko frowns, the longest sentence he's spoken in the past three days, at least towards Taiga.

Taiga huffs, feels his nerves acting up at Kuroko's inquiring gaze. God, what he'd give to just hug Kuroko and be done with it. His heart promptly jumps to a higher pace at the thought. “I'm sorry,” he says again. “Force of habit. I just... I really wanted you to know that I'm sorry, and that I realized what I did wrong. I really do. I'm just not good with words.”

Taiga stares at his hands, wrings his fingers around where they're hanging between his knees. He feels nervous, and excited, and like he should do something but doesn't know what. Kuroko's presence beside him is stronger than ever.

“I see,” Kuroko nods. “But explain something to me, Kagami-kun. You said you were jealous, both you and Aomine-kun. Aomine-kun I get. But why you?”

Taiga huffs and scratches the back of his head. He stares at the floor and feels his face grow hot, but in the end, he groans and gives in. “Because I really don't like the idea of you with another guy.”

“Yes, that's the definition of jealousy. But why?” Kuroko prods.

Taiga wishes for the ground to open up and swallow him, but it's not likely to happen, so he'd rather just man up and confess what has been boggling his mind for weeks now. “Because I always figured you'd end up with someone who knows you, really knows you, like I said – who knows your story and who's been there for you.”

Kuroko just looks at him, waits for him to continue, not giving him the easy way out.

“Oh, fine,” Taiga sighs, meets his eyes, and states, “I like you. I really do. As, like, more than friends.”

Kuroko's expression doesn't change, but there's a spark lighting up his blue, blue eyes as he takes a sip from the vanilla shake.

“Aren't you going to... say something?” Taiga asks, feeling desperation and dread curl up in his stomach. This confession might ruin everything if it's unrequited.

“I'm still thinking about it,” Kuroko says and takes another sip. “This is really delicious, by the way.”

“Thank you,” Taiga mumbles. His heart is pounding away in his chest, and his stomach is in knots. He feels like puking and like he's going to faint any second now. Kuroko is just that intense.

Eventually, he puts the vanilla shake on his desk and sits back down beside Taiga, at a notably shorter distance.

“So where does your arrangement, as you like to call it, with Aomine-kun fit into this picture?”

Taiga shrugs. “I don't know. It's completely different, in a way. With him, I know what I'm in for. But you're... special. I've known you for so long and I want you to be happy, _I want to make you happy_ , but I haven't figured it out yet.”

“What do you expect him to say if you tell him about... this?” Kuroko inquires, worrying his lip.

“We... um, we talked before. About how we're kind-of exclusive, but there's people who'd be the exception. Like you, because we both have-- I mean,” Taiga stutters, feels utterly ridiculous, so he covers his face in both hands. “I'm sorry. I don't know how to explain this. I just.”

“Kagami-kun,” Kuroko mutters, and Taiga feels small, warm hands peeling his own from his face. They hold onto his palms, fingers not quite intertwining, as Kuroko looks up at him with a gentle smile on his face.

“Yes?”

Kuroko tugs at his hands, tugs him forward and down. “Kiss me,” he whispers, his face already so close that Taiga feels his breath dancing over his lips, and it's not an invitation Taiga needs to hear twice.

He closes the remaining gap between them easily, seals his lips over Kuroko's, kisses him slow and deep and _finally_ , and moans a sigh of relief into his mouth. Kuroko's lips are a bit chapped, and he tastes of vanilla and milk and a hint of the onions that Taiga had chopped into their curry for dinner. To Taiga's surprise, there's nothing dirty about the kiss, not even when Kuroko takes his bottom lip between his, nibbles at it playfully, and Taiga finds himself grinning. With a chuckle, he wraps his arms around Kuroko and pushes him down into the mattress, tilts his head just so to deepen the kiss, and feels Kuroko smiling against his lips, too.

They only break apart when they're both out of breath.

Kuroko stares at Taiga like he'd just had a revelation, and with his chest still heaving for air, he states, “I accept your apology. And your confession.”

“I'm glad,” Taiga smiles at him, his heart still racing, but his chest filled with happiness and a vague sense of accomplishment. Then he leans down to pepper butterfly kisses all over Kuroko's lips, over his nose and cheeks and jaw, until he finds himself nibbling at Kuroko's ear lobe.

Beneath him, Kuroko laughs and pushes him up with the gentle touch of his hands on Taiga's chest. “That tickles, Kaga-- Taiga-kun,” he interrupts and corrects himself and oh.

 _Oh_.

Taiga feels himself blush, so he slides down to hide his face in Kuroko's chest.

“Are you alright? Is it alright if I--”

“Yeah,” Taiga answers, then looks up at him sheepishly. “Tetsuya,” he says it slow, pronounces it carefully, gives it the attention it deserves.

Small hands find their way into his hair, running through the strands, careful and gentle, just like the smile that accompanies the movements.

The body beneath Taiga's is small, the waist that Taiga's hands hold on to is slim, the muscles of the chest he's resting against hard and trained. At least the last part is familiar, even though it's completely different.

They lie together like that for a while, just basking in each other's presence, hands roaming over each other, exploring, trying, caressing. Taiga feels so comfortable in this warmth, this cocoon of affection and love, that he doesn't want to stop, ever.

Which, okay. So they're cuddling. Something he rarely does with Aomine, since he's too insistent on the fact that their arrangement has nothing to do with them liking each other, which he would never admit, either. Taiga knows, though.

And the thought of having to stop doing whatever he's doing with Aomine makes Taiga's stomach clench, and he feels unease spreading in his chest.

As if he could read Taiga's mind, Tetsuya says, “What about Aomine-kun?”

“I don't know.”

“You like him, don't you?” Tetsuya asks, calm and quiet, a smile in his tone.

So Taiga looks up to find him looking fondly down at him, but Taiga can't have a conversation like this. He props himself up on his elbows, resting both of them beside Tetsuya's shoulders, sinks his fingers into his light blue strands of hair. Tetsuya snuggles into the touch, waits for Taiga to answer.

“I do,” Taiga says. “And he likes the both of us, too, although I can't say how far that goes. The few times he even talked about it, he was very vague.”

“We have to talk to him,” Tetsuya kisses the inside of Taiga's wrist, but then he turns serious. “I expect a heartfelt apology of him first, though.”

Taiga nods. “Of course. But for now...” he drifts off, smiles at Tetsuya and leans down to kiss him some more.

For now, he's happy. Because Tetsuya is, too.

 

**Author's Note:**

> [Spread the word~](http://howtumblrruinedmylife.tumblr.com/post/119697014353) :D Thanks for reading!


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